A Table Lamp Made From Gourd

This is a very simple project for lateral thinkers.
This is a type of gourd grown in Sarawak, Malaysia, not for eating but for the fibrous structure inside. It is mainly used as cleaning pads around the house and scrubbing feet and back when taking showers or baths. As I was looking at it one day and thought of using it in a totally different way. Any this is what I have come up with : “An Organic table lamp”.

Step 1: Materials Needed

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1) A skinned and cleaned gourd with all the seeds and part of the inside fiber removed.

2) A 12 volt LED light strip. I bought mine from car accessories shop. Costing US$ 3 )

3) A 9-12 volt output charger. (I used an old cellphone charger).

4) A wooden base, almost anything will do. ( I used a 2” section cut off From a small tree trunk )

5) A twig from my garden. 6) A short length of thin two core wire.

Step 2: Preparing the Wooden Base

Drill a hole through the wooden base, make a shallow grove connecting the hole
to the edge of the base. This is to allow the thin wire to pass underneath the Base and through the hole to the top of base. Drill a bigger hole from the top of base at a slightly slanting angle. The size of the hole depends on the diameter of the twig you are using. Position the hole just next to the small hole.

Step 3: Putting in the Wires

Hot glue the twig to the base after inserting it into the top hole.
Hot glue the thin wire onto the side of the twig all the way to the tip or the end of twig.

Step 4: Connecting the Wires

Insert the LED light strip into the hollowed-out gourd and connect the wire, + to+, - to -. Hang the gourd onto the end of the twig by cable tie or string.

Connect the wire from the charger to the glue-on wire. Insulate where necessary with tape.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Plug in the charger and Turn it on. It should work if done properly.